1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for and a method of displaying information in a folder type communication terminal, and more particularly to an apparatus for and a method of displaying information in a folder type communication terminal provided with a folder in such a fashion that a user can view the displayed information even when the folder is closed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, folder type communication terminals are constructed to have a reduced volume while having keys and an LCD display screen, the sizes of which are equal to or larger than those of bar type and flip type communication terminals.
Even in a folder type communication terminal having the advantages described above, however, there exists a problem in that the user can view the display screen of the terminal only when the folder of the terminal is open. That is, in a closed status of the folder, the user cannot view the display screen. Therefore, the user cannot immediately view information displayed on the display screen, for example, information about the possibility of communication, consumption of battery power, time, date, etc. in a closed status of the folder. To the user""s disadvantage, he must first open the folder in order to view the information.
The present invention overcomes the above-described problems. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for displaying information in a folder type communication terminal, which is capable of allowing a user to view information displayed on a display screen although the folder of the terminal is not open.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for displaying information in a folder type communication terminal, which is capable of allowing the user to view information displayed in either the open or closed status of the folder of the terminal while using a single display unit mounted to the folder of the terminal.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for displaying information in a folder type communication terminal configured to allow the user to view information displayed in either the open or closed status of the folder of the terminal, whereby the apparatus is capable of displaying information in the form of a normal-status image in either the open or closed status of the folder while using a single display unit mounted to the folder.
To accomplish the above objects of the present invention, a transparent LCD is fixedly mounted in an opening formed through a portion of the folder so that an image of the information to be displayed is viewed in either the open or closed status of the folder. A circuit configuration is also provided which is capable of controlling the transparent LCD in such a fashion that the image is displayed in a normal status in both the open and closed status of the folder. A folder-sensing unit detects whether or not the folder is open or closed. Based on the result of the detection, the transparent LCD is controlled to display the image in a normal status for the sensed status of the folder.